With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in San Rafael, Calif. San Francisco Bay Area commuters started the new work week on Monday with gridlocked roadways and long lines for buses and ferries as a major transit strike entered its fourth day. At the same time, federal investigators were searching for clues to a weekend train crash that killed two workers.(AP Photo/Eric Risberg) less

With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in San Rafael, Calif. San Francisco Bay Area commuters started the new ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg, Associated Press

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With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on Interstate 80 leading to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. San Francisco Bay Area commuters started the new work week on Monday with gridlocked roadways and long lines for buses and ferries as a major transit strike entered its fourth day. At the same time, federal investigators were searching for clues to a weekend train crash that killed two workers. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) less

With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on Interstate 80 leading to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. San Francisco Bay ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg, Associated Press

Image 3 of 4

With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on Interstate 80 leading to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. San Francisco Bay Area commuters started the new work week on Monday with gridlocked roadways and long lines for buses and ferries as a major transit strike entered its fourth day. At the same time, federal investigators were searching for clues to a weekend train crash that killed two workers. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) less

With the BART transit system on strike, traffic slows on Interstate 80 leading to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during the morning commute Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. San Francisco Bay ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg, Associated Press

Image 4 of 4

Hints BART, unions in touch about resuming talks

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The Bay Area crept through the third day of a BART strike Sunday with no signs that trains would be running anytime soon.

Monday is expected to be the worst day yet for commuters who have faced heavier freeway congestion and longer lines for buses and ferries in the absence of BART service. The transit agency is typically at its busiest at the beginning of the work week.

In the wake of Saturday's tragic accident that killed two BART workers, there were indications that officials from the transit district and its two largest unions had been in touch with each other as well as a federal mediator about the possibility of resuming talks. However, there remain no plans for workers to return to their jobs.

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Also, one of the two unions, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, which represents train operators and station agents, appeared to be backing away from Saturday's commitment to present BART's final offer to its members for a vote within the next week.

"It's up in the air now," Antonette Bryant, president of the local, said Sunday.

Bryant had said at noon Saturday that the union would let its members vote but predicted they would resoundingly reject the offer. The accident occurred a little more than an hour later. Both unions remained silent on the labor dispute after the accident Saturday aside from releasing statements expressing their condolences, and telling reporters they would not comment on labor issues out of respect for the victims and their families.

Representatives of the unions and BART both acknowledged discussions with a federal mediator but said no talks had been scheduled. For the mediator to call the parties back to the bargaining table, there needs to be an indication that both sides are willing to change their offers.

No talks scheduled

"We've been in communication with union leadership and the mediator to determine next steps," BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said. "But there are no talks at this time, and there is no indication that the unions will call off their strike."

Pete Castelli, SEIU executive director, said the unions "are in talks with the mediator in hope of reaching an agreement."

He believes BART should agree to the unions' proposal. That calls for the unions to accept the transit agency's economic offer - a 12 percent pay increase over four years, a 4 percent pension contribution and a 9.5 percent increase in health insurance premiums - let an arbitrator settle disputes over work rules, and create a federally mediated committee to help resolve issues over past practices.

Typical station agents and train operators are paid salaries in the mid-$60,000 range.

Under the union proposal, both sides would also drop other proposals still on the table. Castelli said that would allow a fast resolution that could get trains running quickly.

"That's what we would like to do," he said. "We don't want to be on strike."

BART officials want the unions to take their proposal, which BART Board President Tom Radulovich has described as "a great offer," to their members for a vote. He rejected the union's Friday night proposal as a rehashed version of something BART had already rejected. Radulovich has said BART might be willing to let an arbitrator decide between each side's final offers.

Another offer

Late Sunday evening, the unions made another offer to BART to end the strike. The SEIU and ATU said the proposal would allow for changes in work rules related to implementing new technology, but retain rules related to safety.

BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said the agency "will take a look at their proposal." BART later added that there is no announced end to the ongoing strike.

BART scheduled a special closed meeting of its Board of Directors for Monday afternoon.

Points of contention between managers, workers

BART asked its unions to vote on its final proposal. Here's a glimpse of what that proposal involved and where the sides disagree:

BART's offer

Unions' response

Pay

A 12 percent pay raise over four years.

Unions want a net pay raise of 3 percent a year for four years after factoring in new contributions for health care and pension costs.

Pension

For the first time, workers would have to put in 4 percent toward their pension.

Unions accepted this term.

Health care

The flat $92-a-month cost would increase by 9.5 percent.

Unions accepted this term.

Work rule change

Switch to electronic pay stubs.

Unions prefer to keep the existing system of hand-delivering paycheck stubs, saying some members want paper records and not everyone has a computer.

Work rule change

Require station agents to file reports by e-mail.

Unions did not provide a detailed response but said this is among the reasons an arbitrator should decide how past practices are handled.

Work rule change

Management wants more flexibility to schedule workers based on the system's needs.

The unions say workers deserve to have consistent and predictable work hours and locations.

Transit options during strike

BART's trains will be offline with the agency's workers on strike, and getting around the region is expected to be excruciating. Commuters and travelers should rethink how they get around or stay home altogether. They can visit www.511.org for real-time transit information and may also want to consider these transit options for workday commuting:

Driving

Carpool lane hours will be extended on Interstates 80, 880 and 680, plus all Bay Area toll bridges, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Casual carpools

Numerous East Bay locations serving the weekday morning commute. The afternoon pickup spot is on Spear Street in San Francisco on weekdays. For more, visit www.ridenow.org/carpool.

East Bay

BART will run free, limited, first-come, first-served charter buses from the West Oakland, San Leandro, Concord, El Cerrito del Norte, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Dublin/Pleasanton, Hayward and Fremont stations to a drop-off spot near San Francisco's Transbay Terminal. Three buses will be available at each station Saturday between 6 and 9 a.m. They will return from San Francisco between 3 and 6 p.m. The buses will be available Sunday between 8 and 11 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. Learn more at www.bart.gov.

AC Transit will increase bus service as needed, particularly on transbay lines. No schedule is set.